Stopper for bottles and like containers



Dec. 1, 1942. w.- s. FREEMAN 2,303,733

STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 12, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi'gi 153/ ,l/

WILLIAM SIMON FREEMAN Dec. 1, 1942. w. s. FREEMAN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 12, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR WILILIAM SIMON FREEMAN Dec. 1, 1942. w. s. FREEMAN 2,303,733

STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 12, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WILLIAM $IMON FREEMAN ATTYS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1942 1' z a X STOPPER FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS William Simon Freeman, Leeds, England Application November 12, 1941, Serial No. 418,838 In Great Britain November 21, 1940 4 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to stoppers for bottles and like containers and has for one of its objects to provide a construction which will be particularly applicable for use i out invention, there is provided a stopper for a carboy, bottle, can or like container, which stopper has a gripping portion to engage tightly the mouth of the container and a resilient sealing skirt attached to said gripping portion and of such shape and dimensions as to be adapted to be folded into and out of a position in which it completes the sealing of the mouth of the container,

base to overlie the mouth of the container, and a pouring aperture being afforded between said base and the gripping portion of the stopper in such a position as to be overlain by the sealing skirt when the latter is folded into sealing position, which gripping portion is in two separately formed members one of which is tubular and engages tightly the inside of the mouth of the container and the second, which is attached to or formed integral with the base of the sealing skirt and is a hinging member about which the base of the sealing skirt turns when the pouring aperture is opened, extends around a part only of the annulus constituted by the tubular member in a housing therein in which it is permanently received, and which stopper is characterised in that the said housing, which reaches to the upper face of the tubular member, is partly constituted by the inner face of a circumferential strip of the side of the said tubular member, the outer face of which strip is completely uninterrupted. It will be appreciated that by the provision of a housing of the character just described, the hinging member may be very effectively secured to the tubular member without impairing the effective seal between the side face of the tubular member and the mouth'of the container,

The housing may take the form of a blindended recess opening out at the upper face of the tubular member, into which the end of the hinging member is inserted and cemented or otherwise secured. In the preferred construction, however, the said housing comprises a perthe resilient sealing skirt having an imperforate foration which is formed endwise, namely more or less parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, through the material of the latter and reaches at one end to the upper face and at the other end to the outer side face of the tubular member in such manner as to leave the said outer side face with completely uninterrupted circumferential strips one above and another below the lower end of the perforation.

It is furthermore preferred to arrange that the said housing is also partly constituted by a recess in the outer'side face of the tubular member which is located between the two said'uninterrupted circumferential strips in a position to house the end of the hinging member reaching through from the perforation; The housing may afford 'an outwardly and'downwardly directed shoulder under which the end of the hinging member is received and below the said shoulder the housing may be widened in the direction circumferentially of the tubular member and the hinging member be appropriately shaped to fit closely in said housing. The interengaging faces of the aforesaid tubular member and the container mouth'will usually be of complementarily circumferentially grooved and ridged contour and in such a construction it may be found advantageous to arrange that the recess in the outer side face of the tubular member follows the said grooved or ridged contour, and that the hinging member is moulded to corresponding shape. In some circumstances it may be of advantage to form the hinging member with an outwardly and upwardly directed shoulder to engage under the lower face of the uninterrupted circumferential strip mentioned above whereof the inner face constitutes part of the housing for the hinging member. These constructional features will promote an effective connection being obtained between the hinging member and the tubular member. Below the said shoulder a staple or like fastener may be applied to secure the end of the hinging member in the recess. A cement or the like may be employed for the same purpose either in substitution for or in addition to the fastener.

For a more complete understanding of the invention there will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, certain constructional forms of stopper according to the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

In these draWings- Figure l is a vertical section on the line I-I of Figure 2 through a portion of a container showing one constructional form of stopper according to the present invention in place therein. In this figure the sealing skirt is shown in full lines in its operative setting and in chain lines in its inoperative setting;

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation partly in section of the parts shown in Figures 1 and 2 but showing the sealing skirt and closing plug turned into inoperative position;

Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section on the line 44 of Figure 5 showing the sealing skirt in inoperative position;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figur 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the tubular member which is shown in Figures 1 to 5 fitted in place in the mouth of the container;

Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing a modified construction;

Figure 8 is a view, corresponding to Figure 4, of the construction shown in Figure '7 looking in the direction of the arrow 8;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the tubular member which is shown in Figures '7 ands fitted in place in the mouth of the container, and

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are detail sectional views corresponding to a part of Figures 1 and '7 but showing alternative constructions.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 6, the body of the container is shown at I!) and the neck at H. At the base of the neck, inside the container, there is formed an inwardly-projecting shoulder I2. The gripping portion of the stopper is composed of twoseparately formed parts I3 and I4. The stopper also comprises a sealing skirt I5 having an imperforate bas I8 carrying a closing plug IT.

The part [3 is tubular and engages tightly the inside of the neck II and its bore constitutes the pouring aperture of the stopper and is intended to be closed by the plug II. The part I3 may be permanently secured to the neck I I, say by vulcanizing. The part I3 rests against the flange I2 and th latter serves to prevent it from being displaced inwardly. The part I3 is formed with circumferential grooves I8 and I80 which receive corresponding inwardly-projecting ridges I9 and I90 on the neck II, thus increasing the security of the connection between the parts II and I3. Furthermore the neck I I has its extremity 20 inwardly turned to fit into a corresponding groove in the member I3 just below the lip 31.

The part I4 of the stopper is a hinging member and is attached to or formed integral with the base I6 The sealing position of the skirt I5 is shown in full lines in Figure 1. When the stopper is to be withdrawn from operative position, the skirt I5 is first turned in the position shown in chain lines in Figure 1, after which it, with the plug I1, is swung into the position shown in Figure 3, moving about the flexible junction between the part I4 and the base I6. The part I3 is preferably made of harder material than the other parts of the stopper. They may all be made of rubber.

The aforesaid plug I! is conical at its portion 23 adjacent to the extremity of the mouth of the container and cylindrical and serrated at its portion 24. The plug I1 is recessed at 30. The bore of the part I3 constitutes a seat for the plug I1 and is correspondingly shaped to form a tight joint.

The skirt I5 is serrated at 25 to interlock with corresponding serrations 0n the outside of the neck I I and form a tight joint, and the skirt also has an extension 26 affording a ready finger grip for use in moving the skirt out of sealing position. The extension 26 is perforated at 21 to engage studs 28 and 29 on the container, these studs serving respectively to retain the skirt in sealing and open positions.

The part I3 afiords a housing for a screwthreaded tubular liner 3| having an outturned flange 32 at its upper end and an inturned flange 33 at its lower end, the part I3 being shaped to afford abutments for both of these flanges. The liner 3I may be mounted and secured in position in any desired manner to resist rotation relatively to the part I3. A screw plug 34 is received in the liner 3|, this plug having a washer 35 at its lower end to make a tight joint with the flange 33, and a handle 36 at its upper end which is received in the recess 38.

In the operation of closing the container, the screw plug 34 would first of all be screwed in position, then the plug I! would be pressed into place and finally the skirt I5 would be turned over into sealing position.

As thus far described, the construction is similar to that described and shown in United States specification No. 2,215,392 except for the provision of the screw plug 34. The present invention, however, is concerned with the housing for the hinging member I4. This housing is partly constituted by a perforation 38 (see particularly Figure 6) which is formed endwise, viz., more or less parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member I3, through the material of the latter and reaches at its upper end to the upper face of the member I3. Adjacent to the perforation 38 the lip 31 is cut away at 39 to provide a space which will facilitate the hinging movement of the skirt I5 about the member I4. The perforation 38 leaves a circumferential strip 40 near the top of the tubular member I3 completely uninterrupted but the inner face of this strip forms one of the walls of the perforation 38. Therefore the inner face of the strip 40 constitutes part of the housing for the member In. Below the strip 43, the perforation 38 reaches into a recess in the outer side face of the tubular member I3, This recess extends downwardly from the strip 40 and terminates at the aforesaid circumferential groove I80, thus leaving below the latter a portion4l of the tubular member I3 whereof the outer side face is completely uninterrupted circumferentially. These two uninterrupted circumferential strips 40 and 4| ensure that the tubular member I3 makes a tight joint in the neck II. The perforation 38 and the recess into which it leads are arcuate and only extend a. part of the way round the tubular member I3. The recess affords an outwardly and downwardly directed shoulder 42 under which a shoulder 43 on the member I4 is received, see particularly Figure 1. As will be seen from Figure 4, below the said shoulder 42, therecess is wider than the perforation 38 in the direction circumferentially of the tubular member I3, and the hinging member I4 is appropriately widened at 44 to fit closely in the recess. Thus the lower end of the hinging member I4, as seen in Figure 4, is inverted T-shaped. In this T-shaped 2,sos,733 portion a staple'or like fastener 45 is applied to secure theend of thehing'ing member I4 in the recess. Instead of'or in addition to employing a fastener, such as 45, the hinging member. l4

may be cemented'.and/or vulcanised in position in the arcuate perforation and recess.

'From theaforesaid description it will be seen that the hinging member M will be secured very firmly in the tubular member l3 and that the uninterrupted strips 40 and 4| on the latter will make a very close circumferentialjoint with the neck ll.

Referring now to Figures '7 to 9, the construction therein shown, like the construction shown in Figures 1 to 6, has the interengaging faces of the tubular member'ls and the neck H of complementarily circumferentially grooved and ridged-contour at [8, I5, I80 and I98. Aswill be seen from the left hand side of Figure 7; the recess in the outer side face of the tubular member l3 follows the said grooved or ridged contour. The hinging member I4 is moulded to corresponding shape and its lower end 46 co-oper- -ates with the corresponding face in the recess in much the'same way as the shoulders 12 and 43 co-operate with each other in the construction shown in Figures 1 to 6. In this construction the perforation'through the body of the tubular'member 13 takes the form shown at ll in Figure 9, this form being one which can be readily moulded and lends itself to taking a tight grip upon that part of the hinging member is which is housed within it.

In the construction shown in Figures '7 to 9,

the hinging member M is of substantially constant thickness but in the modification shown in Figure it is formed with an outwardly and upwardly directed shoulder 48 to engage under the lower face of the uninterrupted circumferential strip 40 of the tubular member, th inner face of which strip constitutes part of the housing for the hinging member as already described. It will be appreciated that in this construction the hinging member M will offer still greater resistance to being pulled out of its housing.

In the construction shown in Figure 11, the neck H of the container has a plain cylindrical interior, and the tubular member [3 has a downwardly-extending lip 49 which forms between it and the body of the member 3 and annular r channel which receives the upper end of the neck H. The members H and [3 may thus be firmly secured together. The hinging member I l, 43 has a formation very similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 6.

The construction shown in Fi 12 i8 s ilar in many respects to that shown in Figure 11, but the hinging member I 4, 46 follows the lines of those shown in Figures '7 to 10. Instead of a rectangular shoulder l2, as in Figures 1 to 11, an angular shoulder 50 is formed at the base of the neck H, necessitating the provision of a cooperating groove in the lower face of the tubular member l3 and assisting to provide for a firm connection between the parts H and I3.

It will be appreciated that in the constructions shown in Figures 11 and 12, since the inner face of the neck II is a plain cylinder, there is no ridge and groove engagement between that face and the lateral face of the tubular member.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth. For instance, it is not essential to provide thescrew stopper 34.

'1; For use Witha carboy, bottle; can orlike container, the combination of a gripping plug including two separately formed portions whereof one is tubular and tightly engages the inside of the mouth of the container and affords a pouring aperture at the mouth of the container and the other portion is a hinging member which is permanently received in a housing in the tubular member, which housing reaches to the upper face of the latter and 'only extends a part of the way round the annulus constituted by the tubumember and which housing is partly constituted by the inner face of a circumferential strip of the side of the said tubular member, the outer face of which strip is completely uninterrupted, and a resilient sealing cap adapted to be folded --into and out of a position in which it completely seals the mouth of the container and having an imperforate base overlying the mouth of the container and said pouring aperture when the cap is in sealing position, which base is attached to said hinging member so as to be permitted to turn about the latter when the pouring aperture is opened, and a skirt portion adapted to grip and to form a seal with the exterior of the container mouth when pulled downwardly about said mouth.

2. For use with a carboy, bottle, can or like container, the combination of a gripping plug including two separately formed portions whereof one is tubular and tightly'engages the inside of the mouth of the container and affords a pouring aperture at the mouth of the container and the other portion is a hinging member which is permanently received in a housing in the tubular member, which'housing comprises a perforation which only extends a part of the way round the annulus constituted by the tubular member and is formed endwise, viz., more or less parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, through the material of the latter and reaches at one end to the upper face and at the other end to the outer side face of the tubular member in such manner as to leave the said outer side face with completely uninterrupted circumferential strips one above and another below the lower end of the perforation, and which housing is also partly constituted by a recess in the outer side face of the tubular member which is located between the two said uninterrupted circumferential strips in a position to house the end of the hinging member reaching through from the perforation, and a resilient sealing cap adapted to be folded into and out of a position in which it completely seals the mouth of the container and having an imperforate base overlying the mouth of the container and said pouring aperture when the cap is in sealing position, which base is attached to said hinging member so as to be permitted to turn about the latter when the pouring aperture is opened, and a skirt portion adapted to grip and to form a seal with the exterior of the container mouth when pulled downwardly about said mouth.

3. For use with a carboy, bottle, can or like container, the combination of a gripping plug including two separately formed portions whereof one is tubular and tightly engages the inside I prises a perforation which only extendsa part of the way round the ,annulus-constitutedby the tubular-member and is formed endwise via; :more or less parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe tubular member, through the material of thelatter and reaches at one-endto the upper faceand at the other end to. the; outer side; face-o; of, the

o tubular member in suchmanner as to, leave the said outer side face with: completely uninterrupted circumferentialstripsone above and another below the lower end of the perforation,

.and which housingis also partly constituted by a recess in the-outer side face of the tubular; memberwhich is located between the two said-uninterrupted circumferential strips in a position to house the-end of the hinging member reaching seal with the exterior of the container mouth when pulled downwardly about saidmouth.

4. For use withha carboy, bottle, can or. like upper face of the latterand only ,extendsa part container, the combination :of ag.g'ripping.i plug 1; including. two' separatelylformed Jportionsawhereof one is tubulariand :tightly,engageslithetinside of the mouthof the container and affordsapouring aperture at the-mouth: of. thepcontainer. and the othersportionois a ohinging'memberzwhich is permanently receivedin a.housing;in the tubular member and is formed ;-at-.;.a: distance belowaits upper end 'with an outwardly; and :upwardly .directed shoulder, which housing reaches/tohthe of the way round the annulus constituted by. the tubular member and which housing is partly constitutedby' the inner face of a circumferential strip of the side. of. the said tubular member, the outer faceof which,stripis-completely uninterrupted and the lower face-ofwhich strip is engaged by the said shoulder on the hinging member, and a resilient sealing cap adapted to; be

folded into and out ofaposition in which it completely seals the mouth of the container-and having an imperforate base'overlying the mouth of the container and said pouring 'aperture when the cap is in sealing position, which base is attached to saidhinging member was to =be-permitted to turn about the latter when the pouring aperture is opened, and a skirt portion adapted to grip and to form a seal with the'exterior oi the container mouthwhen-pulled downwardly about said mouth.

WILLIAM SIMON, FREEMAN. 

